Profiling a Dangerous Supernatural Predator

Of all the many and varied shapeshifters that populate our world, there is no doubt that the most feared and dreaded of all are the Djinn. They are extremely dangerous and manipulative entities that can take on various forms, and just as they see fit. It is ironic that the Djinn, in reality, is such a feared and powerful creature. The irony stems from the fact that popular culture and the world of entertainment have collectively dumbed down the nature, power, and dark characters of the Djinn. This is very much as a result of the production of the likes of the 1960s television show, I Dream of Jeannie, and the 1992 Disney movie, Aladdin. There is, however, nothing amusing or lighthearted about the real Djinn. They are the ultimate shapeshifting nightmares. And they will do all they can to get their claws into us – and particularly so if we are reckless enough to invite or invoke them.

The Djinn are entities that collectively amount to a significant part of ancient Islamic lore and teachings. Certainly, they features prominently in the pages of the Qur’an. Muslim legend maintains that Djinns are formed out of a form of smokeless fire. Djinn expert, Rosemary Ellen Guiley has suggested that this may have been an ancient, early way of describing what, today, we would term plasma. LiveScience, say of plasma that it, “is a state of matter that is often thought of as a subset of gases, but the two states behave very differently. Like gases, plasmas have no fixed shape or volume, and are less dense than solids or liquids. But unlike ordinary gases, plasmas are made up of atoms in which some or all of the electrons have been stripped away and positively charged nuclei, called ions, roam freely.”

The Djinn are said to be lifeforms that came into being long before the Human Race was anywhere near on the horizon. In terms of their standing – as well as their supernatural nature – in ancient religious teachings the Djinn are on a par with the angels. Again according to the old texts, after Allah brought Adam into being, each and every angel was ordered to kneel before him. While they did exactly as they were ordered, the Djinn did not. They were the ultimate rebels. The Djinn overlord, Iblis, went against Allah – as did the rest of the Djinns. The result, for them, was catastrophic: they were unceremoniously ejected from Heaven, but given the right to rectify things when Judgment Day comes calling on us all – at least, according to the ancient stories. Of course, the story of Iblis, his rebellious followers, and their ejection from a heavenly realm closely parallels the Holy Bible’s story of the Devil and deadly demons and their very own hellish domain. Might demons and Djinn be one and the very same, but given somewhat different descriptions, and histories, according to the teachings of various religions? Yes, very possibly.

The aforementioned Rosemary Ellen Guiley suspects that the Djinn exist in what we might call another dimension, a realm which is as unseen to us as it is impenetrable to us. But, for the Djinn, negotiating multi-dimensions is second nature – which is specifically why they spend so much time causing havoc and horror in our reality. Unlike us, the Djinn have lifespans of such an incredible length that, compared to our measly eighty or ninety years, are akin to being almost literally immortal. They do, however, eventually die. In somewhat baffling fashion, given that they are said to be made out of plasma, Djinns have the ability to reproduce; they have families, hierarchies, and are of both sexes. They have homes, too. Their homes are far removed from ours, however.

The typical Djinn traditionally prefers Middle Eastern-based hot deserts, caverns, ancient and ruined buildings, shadowy valleys, and deep tunnels. They are not particularly enamored by daylight, much preferring instead to rest when the Sun is at its height, and to surface when the landscape is dark and filled with shadows. This, in all likelihood, explains why so many people who report Djinn encounters state that the experiences occurred after sunset and in the early hours of the morning, and specifically and usually between 1:30 a.m. and 3:00 a.m. – which parallels the malevolent activities of Incubus and Succubus. Djinn are also said to be great lovers of music – of all kinds, but particularly that played on a sitar.

Exactly how many Djinn exist – or have ever existed – is unknown; however, their extensive lifespans, combined with their abilities to procreate, suggests that they are many in number. Perhaps even millions, which is an extremely disturbing thought. This provokes an important question: if Djinn are regularly entering our world from their own dimension, then why do we not see them? According to the old tales, there is a very good answer to that question: the Djinn are invisible to the human eye. Interestingly, however, those same old tales maintain that both donkeys and dogs have the ability to see Djinn and are able to pick up on their nature, which can range from good to dangerous. In that sense, if you have a pet dog that regularly stares intently at one particular part of your living-room, and he or she reacts by shaking and whimpering, then you may have a Djinn in your very midst. Not a pleasing thought, not in the slightest. In a somewhat paradoxical state, however, the Djinn are said to keep dogs as pets – in much the same way that we do.

So, why, precisely, are the Djinn so tied to us, the Human Race? Rosemary Ellen Guiley offers the following, which is undeniably worrying: “They can eat human food when they take human form, but our food does not sustain them. It gives them pleasure. They can absorb the essence of food, and things like the molecules from tobacco smoke, which provide enjoyment. Their main source of nourishment is the absorption of energy from life forms. The best is the draining of a soul, but is difficult to do and is considered unlawful. It is, however, practiced by certain powerful renegade Djinn. The vampiric absorption of the life force can be quite detrimental to people, and cause health problems.”

Nick Redfern works full time as a writer, lecturer, and journalist. He writes about a wide range of unsolved mysteries, including Bigfoot, UFOs, the Loch Ness Monster, alien encounters, and government conspiracies. Nick has written 41 books, writes for Mysterious Universe and has appeared on numerous television shows on the The History Channel, National Geographic Channel and SyFy Channel.